Pop: Lucinda Williams

With this year's Car Wheels On a Gravel Road, Lucinda Williams has, 20 years into her career, come up with an album to make the transition from musician's musician and acclaimed songwriter (Emmylou Harris, Tom Petty and Mary Chapin Carpenter are among those to cover her songs) to a somewhat reluctant star in her own right. With a voice that seems to have been fed on bourbon, nicotine and honey, her wistful brand of roots rock comes over even better live and this sole UK appearance ranks as one of the gigs of the year for those with any interest in country and rock. There's also a good support act in noted Nashville-based songwriter Jim Lauderdale.